Encaustic Paint
Encaustic paint suspends pigment in a wax-based medium that is melted for application and fused with heat. Beeswax is the main component of many traditional encaustic systems.
Painter
Jasper Johns
Jasper Johns is an American artist known for paintings and objects based on familiar symbols such as flags, targets, numbers, and maps, often using encaustic and collage.
Related: Andy Warhol · Roy Lichtenstein
Jasper Johns quick facts
Review key details about Jasper Johns's life, career, postwar American art context, major periods, and the symbols, objects, and materials that shaped his practice.
| Born | May 15, 1930 · Augusta, Georgia, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Paint media | Encaustic paint · Oil paint |
| Other media | Collage, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, plaster, and found materials |
| Common motifs | American flags, targets, numbers, letters, maps, body impressions, and everyday objects |
| Notable works | Flag, Target with Four Faces, Three Flags, and Map |
Sources: Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA: Flag, MoMA: Target with Four Faces, and National Gallery of Art.
Paint types used
See the paint types documented in Johns's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining each medium's properties, uses, and working characteristics.
Oil Paint
Oil paint is a slow-drying paint made with pigment and a drying oil binder. It is widely used for artwork because it blends smoothly and develops rich color.
Surface types used
See the surface types documented in Johns's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining how each support behaves and is prepared for painting.
Canvas
Canvas is a woven fabric support used for paintings, banners, bags, décor, and other projects. Artist canvas may be raw, sized, acrylic-primed, oil-primed, or factory-coated, and each condition changes how paint absorbs and bonds.
Wood
Wood is a natural, porous material with grain patterns and absorbency that vary by species and cut. Its surface may also contain knots, resin, or an existing finish.
Plaster
Plaster is a porous mineral wall and ceiling finish that may be based on gypsum, lime, or other binders. Fresh plaster contains significant moisture and can be highly absorbent until fully dry and appropriately sealed.